Kenner City Council welcomes good news on program to refurbish streets

The Kenner City Council received an update Thursday night on nearly $25 million in road projects that are part of a federal program to improve streets damaged during Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Kenner arrived a little late to the program, originally called the Submerged Roads Program and now renamed Paths to Progress, said Walter Brooks, director of the Regional Planning Commission. Brooks credited Kenner's public works director, Jose Gonzalez, for recognizing that the city was not participating in the program. Gonzalez, a longtime Jefferson Parish employee, did not join Kenner until 2010.

"I asked him to put together for me a list of roads that would qualify ... and a year later, these projects are almost finished as far as design and are moving forward," Brooks said.

John Basillica, construction manager for the company overseeing the program for the federal government, said none of the work involves reconstruction. Instead, it's all rehabilitation -- removing asphalt and then resurfacing roads and putting in ADA ramps where necessary.

Perhaps the best part of the program is that there is no matching payment required from Kenner.

The work is spread throughout Kenner, with all contracts expected to be put out for bid by mid-December. The projects are divided into four geographic groups, with construction expected to begin as soon February.

Several council members praised the program, mentioning the cost, the involvement of streets throughout the city and the help from Gonzalez.

"I'd like to thank Mr. Gonzalez for seeking this support for the city of Kenner or we would have been left out of the loop," Councilman Gregory Carroll said.

Also at Thursday's meeting, the council approved demolition of a home at 4173 Tulane Drive.

In an unusual twist, the homeowner was present at the council meeting and agreed to let parish officials demolish the house, which has been declared a public hazard.

Code Enforcement Director Tamithia Shaw said the homeowner told her the demolition cost from the parish was cheaper than prices he was quoted.